


This is fine

by JJCross



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Asexual Charlie Kelly, Charlie/The waitress is only mentioned, Cheating, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Mac is dumb, between s12 and s13, cause Charlie is hopless, hints of past abuse, rated mostly for language and very mild sexual situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 19:24:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18104867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJCross/pseuds/JJCross
Summary: Kissing was...ok. Nice even, when Charlie was in a particularly good mood. It was messy and easy, and Mac always tasted different. Usually like beer, but sometimes like peaches, or liquor or smoke or peppermint.





	This is fine

Kissing was...ok. Nice even, when Charlie was in a particularly good mood. It was messy and easy, and Mac always tasted different. Usually like beer, but sometimes like peaches, or liquor or smoke or peppermint. 

 

Today he tasted like beer and peanut butter. Charlie ran his fingers through Mac’s hair, combing it back away from his forehead. Charlie had always thought Mac looked more badass with his hair slicked back, like that italian guy from the Godfather. Sometimes when Mac had just woken up, hair still fluffy and untamed, eyes droopy, body warm, voice deep and thick, it made Charlie nervous, the way his heart swelled. It was a different Mac than he was used to, one without the usual outlines of his best friend, the normal color and shape that he’d seen at school or in the bar or with the rest of the Gang. It was a Mac he had only caught glimpses of in the past forty years they’ve known each other, this organic, loose, vulnerable man whom vaguely looked like Mac, but softer. Charlie sometimes wondered if this was the Mac Dennis had known, had seen often when they were alone. Charlie wondered if seeing Mac so soft like that had been what caused Dennis to run away. Charlie could never say that to Mac.

 

Mac’s hands were tracing along Charlie’s spine, down his sides to his hips, pulling him closer, abruptly cutting off Charlie’s dizzying, strangely introspective thoughts as he slammed back into  _ now _ . 

 

Kissing, right. 

 

He stepped forward, their hips bumping together, the obvious bulge of Mac’s boner pressing against Charlie’s pelvis.

 

Shit, he’s hard again.

 

Mac’s hands gripped Charlie’s hips tightly as they continued kissing, Mac beginning to guide them towards the couch. Charlie went, falling ungraceful onto his back, Mac quickly moving to cover him with his own body and continue kissing. Mac rutted softly and slowly against Charlie’s hips.

 

Immediately, Charlie’s heart kicked up a notch. He should have known this was going to happen, of course it would happen! You don’t just start casually making out with your best friend every week when the two of you get a little tipsy and expect it  _ not  _ to lead in this direction. Mac was getting more and more...obvious with where he wanted all this to go, and Charlie wasn’t too sure how to feel about the whole situation.

 

It’s been almost half a year since Dennis moved away, abandoning the Gang and Paddy’s Pub, and most importantly--at least in his opinion- Mac. Charlie had been busy dealing the Waitress, whom he’d actually found out the name of finally, but the name didn’t seem to match right so he continued just referring to her as the Waitress in his mind and  _ honey  _ in person, which she didn’t seem to mind. She was constantly nagging him about getting a better job, a better apartment, eating better, more “edible” food…

 

Charlie had thought finally having the Waitress in his life would be a good thing but...it sucked. She was moody and clingy and hated everything Charlie loved. And besides that, she wanted to have sex like all the time now! She wanted to have that baby Charlie had promised her, but he was starting to wonder if whatever baby eggs he had floating around inside him just didn’t wanna make a real baby.

 

To get away from the stress of home life, Charlie started hanging out more at Mac’s place, since Dennis wasn’t around to kick him out if he stayed too long. Mac seemed to like the company. Whatever weird emotions he was feeling due to Dennis’ absence, he never really showed it or talked about it. He picked out cool action movies for him and Charlie to watch, he laughed when Charlie did the butt dance for him at 3am high off toxic glue, he let Charlie wear the duster when Charlie needed a confidence boost after spending an entire afternoon listening to the Waitress berate him over this and that...it was nice, and it reminded Charlie of their younger years, before Paddy’s Pub, before the Waitress, before Dennis and Dee and Frank...when it was just the two of them…

 

Then one night, 5 beers in for Mac, 7 in for Charlie, a fat joint passed slowly between them, Mac had looked at him with a strange expression. They were sitting close together, thighs touching from hip to knee, shoulders pressed warmly against each other. Touch was always easy with Mac. He was already a pretty touchy guy, slinging his arm around Charlie’s shoulder, leaning close when he had exciting news, tapping Charlie’s wrist or arm when he needed attention for some nonsense. Charlie didn’t mind; Mac was safe, and warm, and real, he always grounded Charlie, especially in moments like this when he let his brain disappear for a few blissed out hours, having Mac leaning close felt good, felt like home.

 

Mac pulled the shrinking glowing roll from his lips, holding in his breath before releasing it slowly, eyes on Charlie. Without much warning Mac kissed Charlie. And Charlie had...sort of kissed back. He wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe he thought he’d lose Mac if he rejected him, that they’d stop hanging out like this and Charlie didn’t want that. Maybe he thought kissing someone else would make the Waitress leave him, like cheating on her was the best way to just break things off, especially if he cheated on her with a guy. 

 

But, not much had changed. Almost every night, Charlie would return to his apartment where the Waitress was waiting for him, surly and irritable. He returned to work, where he and Mac would pester Dee, scheme and joke and drink, he’d go to Mac’s apartment afterwards for movies, getting high, and eventually making out.

 

Mac seemed convinced this meant they were dating, Charlie couldn’t really see any flaw in that logic. He was dating Mac in secret, and the Waitress in public. Ok. Seemed more confusing and complicated than it was worth but he wasn’t sure how to get out of it.

 

Mac groaned, a throaty, desperate noise, deepening the kiss and Charlie pulled himself from this rambling thoughts. Right right, focus. Kissing, Mac, Mac is--

 

_ Damn, he’s so hard. _

 

_ He wants to have sex. _

 

_ Should I put my hands on his ass? Would he like that? _

 

_ Maybe he just wants to make out. I’ll keep my hands on his back. _

 

_ No, he’s basically humping me, he wants to bang. _

 

_ Why can’t he ever kiss me without getting so hard? _

 

_ I can’t say no, he’ll start asking questions. _

 

_ Do I want to? I mean, yeah this is Mac, this is fine, this isn’t-- _

 

_ Oh shit, he’s kissing my neck now. _

 

Charlie stared up at the ceiling as Mac licked, sucked and kissed along Charlie’s neck, lips and teeth scraping along the stubble of his skin. His heavy breathing was right in Charlie’s ear. He was pretty sure Mac could hear his heart beating, it felt so loud. A cold sweat broke out, making Charlie’s hands clammy. They trembled slightly as he kept his hands loosely on Mac’s back, not sure what to do.

 

Mac’s hand went from Charlie’s hip to the front of his jeans, gently palming his flaccid dick.

 

Mac pulled up, face flushed, eyes dark. “Hey uh, you doing alright dude?”

 

“Y-yeah totally,” Charlie squeaked out. “Totally fine. You good, bro?”

 

“Uh, yeah. It’s just...well you kinda don’t seem into this anymore,” Mac said, sitting up slightly. “Do you want me to...help?”

 

“Uh, actually--” Charlie said quickly, sitting up straight. “Maybe we could, do something else! Like go to Wawa and grab some more beers, maybe rent a movie or something. That’d be fun, right?”

 

Charlie smiled, tight lipped. Mac, eyes confused, mouth hanging open slightly as his brain struggled to pull itself from his lust cloud, blinked a few times. “Y-yeah, sure. I mean we did that a bunch this week already but- Uh, sure right, that sounds--”

 

“Great, then let’s go!” Charlie swung his legs out from under Mac, standing up and heading to the door. He grabbed his green jacket, pulling it on. Mac sat on the couch, shoulders sagged, a kicked puppy expression on his red face. “Come man, lets go.”

 

“Wait Charlie, I mean…” Mac shrugged, lifting a hand and then dropping it. He quickly got up and walked over to Charlie who was shuffling into his shoes. Mac lowered his voice, despite them being the only two in the apartment. “I thought maybe we could, you know stay in? Maybe head into my bedroom and…” He trailed off, lifting his eyebrows suggestively, biting at his lower lip.

 

Charlie raised his eyebrows too in question, heart picking up once more. “And…?”

 

“You know. Bang. I wanna have sex, Charlie. I thought maybe we could have sex. We’ve been dating for a while now and I just thought…”

 

“Oh. Oh, right right. Sex! Of course, sex is--yeah, totally dude. Sex.”

 

“Yeaah,” Mac said, eyebrows furrowing. “Soo...wanna still go to Wawa or did you want to…” Mac smirked slightly, stepping that last step, his hand traveling back to Charlie’s hip, to his lower back, down to his--

 

“Yeah actually, I really wanna grab some more drinks if you don’t mind but uh, rain check, alright?” Charlie flashed a thumbs up as he quickly backed up and all but fled from the apartment.

 

He heard Mac muttering to himself as he hurried into his boots and followed Charlie.

 

The walk was quiet, their hands stuffed into their pockets, chins tucked low against the cold night air.

 

They shook off the chills once they stepped into the Wawa, Charlie heading straight for the beer as Mac ambled toward the snack section.

 

He grabbed two cases and met Mac, who was noticeably empty handed, at the front counter.

 

“No snacks?” Charlie asked. Mac shrugged, eyes not meeting Charlie’s.

 

“No money,” he replied, but his tone was meaningful so Charlie knew his leather jacket was stuffed with pilfered goodies. Charlie nodded and quickly paid the bored looking teenage cashier before the pair made their way back to the apartment.

 

Beer tucked under his arm, Charlie blew into his hands to warm them. Mac glanced over and silently took one of Charlie’s into his. They walked the rest of the way home hand in cold hand.

 

“Alright!” Charlie said once they were back inside. He slammed the beer down on the table and tossed his jacket to the floor, kicking off his shoes and flopping gracelessly onto the couch. “Now I’m thinking Terminator 3, but I  _ could  _ swayed for some Lethal Weapon action.”

 

“Whatever you want, dude,” Mac said as he unzipped his leather jacket, revealing the stolen bag of chips. He grabbed a beer, cracked it open and took a long swig.

 

Charlie watched, already seeing Mac’s pouty face. He sighed. “Come on man, are you really gonna be all pissy just cause I don’t wanna bang?”

 

Mac raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.

 

“It’s not that big a deal. Sex is just so...messy.”

 

“Oh really, Charlie? Its messy? You live in your own filth dude, you never bath and your apartment smells like shit. You love hanging in sewers for Christsake!”

 

“Hey whatever man, I just don’t wanna bang, ok?”

 

“Yeah but why not?” Mac said, turning to fully face Charlie, his voice on full whine mode. Charlie sighed, not wanting to deal with this shit right now. He just wanted to get plastered with his best friend--boyfriend!-- and watch some sick action movie. Why was that so bad?

 

“Dude look, we’ve been together for a while, and it’s been great, really. But, I just  _ feel… _ ” Mac began, looking down as he articulated with his hands. “That you’re being a bit selfish, and honestly neglectful of my needs.”

 

“I’m sorry?” Charlie said, eyebrows raised.

 

“I’ve never been in a relationship where I didn’t bang the chick like...the minute we got together. Honestly I usually banged her first and  _ then  _ started a relationship. This is my first relationship as a openly gay man and I haven't even banged my boyfriend yet! How is that fair?”

 

“Oh, oh I’m sorry Mac,” Charlie said, his tone high and mocking. “I’m sorry you’re so used to getting pounded on your stupid dildo bike that you expect me to just  _ service  _ you like some sort of sex slave machine! I’m sorry that I’m such a shit boyfriend, that I buy you beer and throw rocks at stray cats with you, and have sick sleepovers every night!”

 

“Thats shit we did  _ before _ we were dating Charlie! We’re dating now, and dating means making out and having sex! You barely wanna make out and you never wanna have sex so what they hell is the point of dating then!”

 

“Fine then let’s just break up since you hate me so much!”

 

“Oh my god,” Mac said, throwing his hand up and putting his beer down. He rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. “I just don’t get  _ why! _ You’re not a virgin. We make out, things start to get hot and heavy and then--” Mac made a fart noise. “Nothing. You leave me high and dry. My balls have been aching dude, I’m literally in pain everytime we’re together.”

 

“I really don’t care about your balls, dude.”

 

“Why not! You  _ should _ care! You should care about me and my horny feelings and my balls! It’s just sex, it’s nothing new!”

 

“Oh my god, fine! You wanna have sex?” Charlie exclaimed, slapping his thighs before all but pouncing on Mac. He straddled the other’s man waist and pulled him into a sloppy kiss, too wet, too much teeth, really gross but Mac seemed to be enjoying it judging by how fast his boner returned. Charlie felt it against his own crotch. His heart started racing again, palms growing clammy.

 

Thoughts flew through his head too fast to decipher.  _ He’s hard-- he wants to bang-- am I going to bang him-- I guess I have to --I said I would and He won’t shut up about it-- he’s so annoying but I don’t want to --do I --I mean I’ve done it before with others --with the waitress plenty of times-- but is this different-- its Mac-- it’s-- he’s --and it was ok-- right-- good --sometimes but --Oh god his hands are on my ass --he’s touching me everywhere --I’m getting hard so that means I like it-- right --I’m fine I’m fine I’m fine _

 

Mac’s hands kneaded his ass, one moving up under his shirt. Charlie shivered as how hot Mac’s hand was. Fingers skirted against his stomach and upward, thumb brushing a nipple, nails scraping through his chest hair.

 

Charlie leaned forward slightly, hips twitching forward and Mac groaned. Charlie continued the motion mechanically. Mac grabbed Charlie’s ass and lifted, flipping them so Charlie was flat on his back with Mac over him. Charlie gasped, sometimes forgetting how strong Mac truly was, and how small Charlie was compared to him. 

 

Mac connected his mouth to Charlie’s, hot and wet, moaning as his hand rubbed Charlie’s right thigh, almost shyly brushing his knuckles against Charlie’s crotch.

 

The stimulation was too much. Mac was over him, trapping him, caging him in, too big, too hot, too wet! He was touching him and it felt weird, it was uncomfortable. Charlie turned his head and locked his knees together, inadvertently trapping Mac’s hand.

 

“Hey--Charlie, what’s up?” Mac said, voice strained and out of breath as he was pulled from his lust once more. 

 

“S-stop, I don’t want to--I don’t like--”

 

Mac pulled his hand free, placing it on Charlie’s neck, gentle, slanted eyes concerned. His face was still flushed, lips red, dick still poking from his jeans and Charlie squirmed to move out from under him.

 

“Charlie, I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”

 

“No no, just, forget it man, ok?”

 

“No, what did I--”

 

“Just forget it! I’m, I’m gonna go home,” Charlie said quickly, standing up and hurrying to the door, but Mac was right behind him, grabbing Charlie’s hand and closing the door he had just opened. “Hey, let me--”

 

“No, we gotta talk dude!” Mac said, his voice angry as he quickly moved to stand between the door and Charlie. 

 

“Since when do we ever talk about like, feelings and shit? I just don’t want to--I just want to go home, so move before I make you!”

 

“Pfft, I’d love to see you try.” Charlie gave Mac a level glare and Mac returned the challenge, quirking an eyebrow, chin raised as he squared his shoulders. Charlie growled and put his arms around Mac, bodily trying to move him so he could escape, pushing and pulling and biting as Mac wrestling to get a good grip on him. They tusseled awkwardly, losing their footing and falling to the ground. Charlie ended up on his stomach, Mac sitting on his back, crushing him.

 

“You’re so fucking heavy dude, get off!”

 

“No, not until you agree to talk to me!”

 

“Never, get your fat ass off!”

 

“Its muscle, Charlie!”

 

Charlie continued screaming and flailing and shouting insults about Mac’s weights, his intelligence, his muscles, his mom, anything that he thought might hurt Mac enough to get him to leave Charlie alone, to let him leave, but even though Mac’s ego was as fragile as glass (though not quite as fragile as Dennis’ admittedly), Mac knew when Charlie was flinging aimless insults. He stubbornly stayed put until Charlie gave a defeated sigh and lay flat, face pressed into the carpet.

 

“Done?”

 

Charlie grumbled unintelligently.

 

Mac moved off of Charlie, who didn’t move. He sat up against the couch and sighed, head tilted back, and they sat (and lay) in silence.

 

“Look man, we don’t got to talk about it. Any of it, but just...is sex like completely off the table then? For us?”

 

Charlie shrugged, finally flipping over and sitting up. He sat back against the couch next to Mac, looking down between his feet.

 

“Is it, because I’m a guy?”

 

Charlie shrugged again.

 

“Dude, then are you even gay? If you’re fine having sex with the Waitress all the time and not me, then doesn’t that mean--”

 

“I’m not  _ fine _ with having sex with girls, it’s just, easier, I guess. I don’t know man, I never liked having sex before either, it’s not just you. It’s all too much, touching and noises and smells, it’s just--”

 

“But what about Nightcrawlers? I don’t get that weird game but like, isn’t it basically just dry humping? Can’t we do that--”

 

“That’s not what it--oh my god! Nightcrawlers is an imagination based game, its not--”

 

“Ok, ok, nevermind,” Mac sighed. He rubbed his face tiredly. 

 

Charlie stared down at his feet, feeling small and stupid, like he did when he was a kid and the teacher would call on him to read aloud and all the letters got jumbled on the page-- like when he stayed an hour after school with the algebra teacher who’d get frustrated that he still couldn’t understand the formula they had been going over for a month now--like those first few months when Dennis started hanging out with him and Mac and he would make a joke that they all laughed at but Charlie didn’t understand and Dennis looked at him like he was stupid, a worm, a dirty little grub that everyone knew was too messed up to like. Charlie curled in on himself, wishing he was normal, that he was smart and cool, that he could love people normally, that he could read and write like everyone else, that he could remember things easily, that he didn’t choke down beer and cat food every night to fall asleep against the endless chorus of cat howls and the nightmares of nightmen with small hands and a mousy voice, that he could just do this one thing for Mac…

 

“When I hold you hand, is that fine?”

 

Charlie lifted his head, looking over at Mac. His expression was relaxed, open. Charlie’s face grew warm, and he nodded eventually. Mac nodded too.

 

“What about when I call you babe?” Charlie chuckled slightly, blush reddened more and shoved Mac, who laughed too. “What about when I make you dumb shit, and pay for your meals when we go out? What about when we hang out, just us, doing gay shit like watching plays and going to park and riding bikes?”

 

Charlie shook his head, still laughing. “All that gay shit is fine, Mac.”

 

Mac smiled. “Ok. So we’ll just do that, and if you ever wanna, do other stuff, then we will. And if you ever wanna talk about...it...stuff that happened…” Charlie stiffened. “Then I’ll be here for you. Cool?”

 

“Cool.” Charlie leaned his head on Mac’s shoulder. He was warm and solid, smelled like leather and too much cologne, and booze. He smelled like Charlie’s childhood, like his home, like his best friend. Mac leaned his head on Charlie’s and didn’t touch his knee or hand and Charlie appreciated it. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my folders for a while. I really love their relationship, and I adore exploring Charlie's character. Please let me know if there are any glaring errors that I need to fix, this is un-beta'd.
> 
> Its good to be back, I'll slowly start posting random things like this for various fandoms, thanks for sticking around :)


End file.
